Cuffed!
by Cinpii
Summary: [Non yaoi. Crack plot.] Horio and handcuffs. This can’t be good.
1. Stuck With You

**Disclaimer:** Prince of Tennis was created by Konomi Takeshi. Not me. Please don't sue.

Warning: the result of cin on too much msg. Run for the hills, minna.

Sleuthing challenge: guess who the victims are before they're revealed. Although minna who know cin should already have a good idea.

Comments and criticisms welcome. Enjoy.

**Cuffed!**

By Cinpii

**Chapter 1: Stuck with you**

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's the moment you've all been waiting for. The great Horio Satoshi, with his two years of magic experience, will now perform his most outstanding feat yet," the tawny haired boy paused, luxuriating in the expectant awe of his audience. He inhaled, and with an elaborate whish of his wrist, executed a series of taps with the tip of his wand upon the metal bracelets that bound his participants together.

"Aburakadabura!"

Silence reigned as nothing happened.

Blinking at the oddity, Horio pursed his lips in thought. Hm, maybe he didn't say it right. It was a strange word to say. He tried it again.

"A-bu-ra-ka-da-bu-ra!"

Again, silence reigned as nothing happened. Feet shuffled as his audience grew impatient.

"Now that's odd. I'm sure that was the correct command," the first year mused, scratching his chin. Maybe he should have read the manual before performing this trick, but he had two years of magic experience, damnit. Surely someone as experienced as he did not need to lower himself to such bothersome trifles.

Besides, the instructions were in English, and Horio was failing that subject. He couldn't make sense of it even if he wanted to.

"Ano, perhaps Horio-kun should try a different command?" a soft-spoken suggestion piped up.

It wouldn't hurt, Horio consented. Drawing in a breath, he waved his wand again and executed his taps.

"Alohomora!"

"This isn't Harry Potter, you nitwit," an irate voice berated.

"Ah, senpai is right," Horio sweat dropped. Thinking furiously, he scrambled for any other English commands he knew.

"Open sesame!"

Blank faces.

Throwing all poise out the window, Horio tried to ignore the beads of perspiration dampening his unibrow. Ryuzaki he wasn't worried about. She was sweet and good-natured. It was the other three members of his audience that would inflict bodily harm. He had promised them a good show, and he was not delivering.

Peering out of the corner of his eyes, Horio took in the un-amused expressions of the rest of the group. The daunting expression on his senpai's face made his knees want to knock together. He really should have practiced this trick before performing it. Too late now. Time to start praying for a miracle. Desperate, Horio's high-pitched voice cracked halfway as he said the first thing that came to his mind. "Release, your master commandth thee!"

Echizen Ryoma twitched and internally winced for his abused ears. In normal circumstances, he would have just left Horio to solve his own dilemmas, but seeing in how he had a personal stake in this situation, Ryoma decided it was high time to step in. This was cutting into good naptime, after all.

"You've been saying it wrong. It's 'abracadabra'," he enunciated, tone flat and matter-of-fact.

"A-bu-ra-ka—," rolling the foreign word around in his mouth, Horio shook his head. He would never be able to pronounce that. But before letting himself wallow into the depths of despair, he perked up as an idea dawned. "Echizen, say it again."

"Abracadabra."

With a triumphant grin, Horio raised his wand. This would work. He could feel it.

_tap tap tap tap_

There was a pause as five expectant gazes looked upon the magical cuffs. Five breaths were held in anticipation.

And five breaths were released in a disappointed whoosh when nothing happened. The metal binds shined innocent and new in the bright sunlight.

"Ano…"

"Tap harder?"

"Okay. Echizen?"

"Abracadabra."

_Tap Tap Tap Tap_

"It's not working," an exasperated voice stated.

"Fss. First years are so weak. Give me that wand." Not waiting for a reply, Kaidoh Kaoru snatched said object out of Horio's grasp. Looking at Ryoma, he nodded.

"Abracadabra."

_TAP TAP TAP TAP_

Eyes narrowed in unison as nothing happened.

"Harder?"

"Okay."

"Abracadabra."

_**tap tap tap tap**_

Kaidoh frowned as he looked upon the unresponsive shackles. What was with these stupid cuffs? He drew his arm back further. The tendons of his lean muscles strained against the confines of his uniform sleeve. "Again," he repeated.

Ryoma acquiesced. "Abracadabra."

_**Tap Tap Tap Snap**_

"Un-oh."

"Ano…"

"…"

"Cheap piece of—"

"You broke my wand!"

Three identical glares focused on the offended boy. Concerned reddish brown eyes swiveled from Horio and the rest of the group. This situation was going to get ugly.

"Horio-kun, if you don't fix this right now, I'm going to hurt you. This isn't funny anymore," Osakada Tomoka threatened as she took an intimidating step forward.

Kaidoh said nothing. He didn't have to. Horio could read the promise of pain in his senpai's eyes. The boy shivered and took an instinctive step away. Palms up in a defensive position, he turned around and ran. "I'll go home right now and find the manual," he yelled over his shoulder as he hightailed it off the school's campus.

"Konoyarou," the oldest of the group cursed softly, looking at the figure diminishing into the distance.

Overhead, the school bell rang, signaling the end of lunch period. Without a word, Ryoma started walking off, tugging Sakuno along.

"A-ano, Ryoma-kun?" her soft voice chimed, eyes large with confusion as she tripped after him. "The buildings are that way."

He didn't stop walking, didn't turn around. Instead, he raised their connected wrists. "You want to go to class like this?"

The cat-eyed boy had a point. They belonged in different classes first of all, and second, it would be hard to explain their situation to others. Sakuno bit her lip. She had never skipped class before. She hoped it would be okay. If she got into trouble, obaachan would surely understand, right?

Tomoka shrugged and followed, unwilling to abandon her best friend in such a dire predicament. The tennis prince did have a point. In light of their situation, waiting it out was probably the best course of action. She looked over at her companion. His expression was dark, but he followed suit.

What else could he do? He was handcuffed to her, after all.


	2. Victims of Sugar Plum Fantasies

**Disclaimer:** Prince of Tennis was created by Konomi Takeshi. No profit is intended to be gained by this story.

**AN: **I know. It's been years. Thanks for sticking with me.

**Cuffed!**

By Cinpii

**Chapter 2: ****Victims of Sugar Plum Fantasies**

The Ichinen Trio was two short during lunch that day. Katsuo Mizuno and Kachirou Kato had begged off, skipping the midday meal to put the finishing touches on a class project. Horio Satoshi was not to be deterred. He was determined to show off his magic trick, and if he had to substitute one schoolmate for another, so be it.

Luck was in his favor. Fridays were the days that Osakada and Ryuzaki joined them for lunch. It had originally started so that Osakada would have a reason to impress Echizen with her homemade bento, and naturally, the bossy girl had dragged poor Ryuzaki along in her scheme.

Horio remembered it well. They had interrupted the boys' luncheon that day two months back. Echizen, in his typical fashion, had not cared one way or the other at the sudden addition to their party. If anyone of the Ichinen Trio had an objection to the surprise female intrusion, they did not voice it. Ryuzaki was sweet and docile and always a welcome presence. Osakada was not sweet or docile at all, but she was too intimidating to shoo away, and so the girls had stayed.

Over time, their luncheons together had become habit. The group of six freshmen would gather every Friday afternoon for their meal. While he and Osakada would sometimes butt heads, she was still a pretty girl, and she prepared delicious bento to share with everyone. Ryuzaki tended to bring dessert, as she was always learning how to bake new kinds of cakes from Coach Ryuzaki.

It was decided, Horio nodded. He'd thank the girls by demonstrating his newest magic trick to them. They'd see him for the magical genius that he was. That, combined with his tennis skills, would be an unbeatable combination, and of course, word would get out. He'd soon be recognized as the most talented freshman in Seigaku. Girls would flock to him in droves. He'd receive actual chocolates come Valentine's Day.

Horio's eyes glazed over in anticipation. How lovely.

* * *

Echizen Ryoma sighed as he scouted for a place to rest. How did he let himself get suckered into this? He should have known nothing good could result from anything concerning Horio. Two years of magic experience, his ass. If Horio's magic skills were anything like his tennis skills, Ryoma wanted no part in the trick.

But the boy had whined and pleaded and insisted that he knew what he was doing. Ryoma had given in on the condition that Horio would leave him alone for the rest of the day. Aside from tennis practice, there were still the rest of classes after lunch. If he could shut the yapping hole that was Horio's mouth, indulging in his small request would net a welcome reprieve.

Too bad Horio didn't know what he was doing. Now Ryoma was handcuffed to Wobbly Hips, of all people. A clumsier, navigationally inept, stuttery girl he had yet to meet. Sure, she wasn't a bad person. She was well meaning, in a bumbling sort of way. He actually liked her, when she wasn't frustrating him with her lack of common sense. What kind of person needed such long hair? What was she going to do with it all? Play jump rope?

Then again, it could have been worse. He could have been cuffed to the Loudmouth or the Hissing Viper. But still. It was Wobbly Hips. And he was handcuffed. To _her_. Ryoma's expression deadened. Tch. Such an inconvenience. Horio was _so_ becoming target practice once they were freed.

Not that it mattered now. Deciding to make the best of it, Ryoma stopped when he reached the clearing of trees. No point getting mad when there was nothing to do about it. He would sleep until Horio returned. Dropping down under the eaves, Ryoma reclined upon the grass and closed his eyes. Assuming his usual napping position, he proceeded to tuck his arms under his head, until he felt the gentle warmth of a palm pillowing his crown.

_Hn?_ Oh, right. With the metal bindings, everything he did with his left appendage would affect her right one. Oi vey, this could be a hassle.

"Do you mind?" the tennis prodigy inquired, opening one eye for confirmation.

The pigtailed girl flushed as she shook her head, twin mahogany plaits sliding against her slim shoulders. Receiving her consent, Ryoma shuttered his eyes and without another word, started his nap.

* * *

How did she get herself into this? Ryuzaki Sakuno bit her lip in concern, a looming sense of doom threatening her wellbeing. Due to an unsuccessful magic trick, she was handcuffed Echizen Ryoma. No, she couldn't be handcuffed to her best friend. She was handcuffed to the boy who couldn't bother to remember her name half the time. The boy who gave her the embarrassing moniker of 'Wobbly Hips'. The boy who tied up her tongue and her feet.

Echizen Ryoma.

The boy who consistently amazed her with his sports prowess. The boy who repeatedly saved her from bullies. The boy who would occasionally give her tennis advice.

Seigaku's resident tennis prince. Ryuzaki Sakuno was handcuffed to _him_.

What in the world did she do to deserve this? There he was, the object of her affections, lying down in the grass, not an arm's length away from her. And he was sleeping with her hand in his hair. Her hand. In his hair. Due to his favored sleeping position, he was making her touch him.

_I'm touching Ryoma-kun. I'm touching Ryoma-kun. I'm __**touching**__ Ryoma-kun—_

Sakuno bit her lip harder. Did he not understand the gravity of the situation? Apparently not. The obtuse boy was completely clueless. They were chained together for crying out loud, _touching_, and he was sleeping like this was a normal, everyday occurrence. Sakuno had never touched a boy before, and especially not one she liked. Now she was being forced into it.

It was too much too fast for the cripplingly shy young girl. Sakuno breathed deeply, trying to calm the inner, frighten being within her that wanted to flap its wings and run around like a headless chicken.

_Pull yourself together! _

What was the point in fretting? Didn't a part of herself, the small, locked-away-in-a-box-and-abandoned-in-the-tiniest-corner-of-her-heart part of herself, actually _enjoy_ this? Ryoma-kun had yet to complain, which meant that maybe… maybe he didn't mind being chained to her. Maybe he liked her a little bit too. He wouldn't sleep so easily next to someone he didn't like, would he?

A small seed of hope blossomed in Sakuno's chest.

Their situation was absurd. Once they were freed, Sakuno was sure that she would look back and treasure the time they spent together. She might as well start now. Empowered with a new frame of mind, Sakuno felt the uneasiness drift away. She looked around, taking in their surroundings with fresh eyes. Several yards away, she could see Tomo-chan and Kaidoh-senpai sharing the shade of another tree. The presence of her best friend helped alleviate her anxieties.

Their current location was a good choice. The expansive tree they were under provided a wealth of welcome shade from the afternoon heat. The area was secluded enough that they would not be seen, but it provided an excellent view of the campus. They would be able to see who was approaching before they would be seen themselves.

If they were lucky, Horio-kun would be back before long, and her attendance record would not become too blemished. Being Ryuzaki Sumire's granddaughter did carry high expectations after all, and Sakuno was expected to be responsible.

Oh well, it was out of her hands. It was only a matter of time, so she might as well let herself relax. The pigtailed girl allowed herself a tiny smile as her eyes gazed down at her companion.


End file.
